Rape accused divorcee denies having sex with stranger at Sunderland party

A man on trial for rape has told jurors he was "invited" to have an encounter with a stranger at a party but has denied having sex with her.

Prosecutors claim Georgi Karaboykov took advantage of the young woman while she was "off her face" on drink and drugs at a house in Sunderland in 2016.

But the 35-year-old divorcee has told jurors he had been unable to have full sex with the woman as he could not get an erection and that the activity they did engage in was consensual.

Karaboykov told Newcastle Crown Court he had gone into a bedroom at the flat during the party to get cigarettes from his jacket, which had been left in there earlier, when he saw the alleged victim, naked on the bed.

He told the court: "I just stepped back and shut the door.

"I was thinking, as she is asleep I can just sneak around the bed and get the cigarettes and go away."

Karaboykov said the woman sat up when he went back into the room and he fetched her a drink of water.

He told jurors when he returned with the water, the woman started doing acts, which he thought were "to arouse me, inviting me".

Karaboykov said "I thought, she wants me to have sex with her" but told jurors they engaged in other acts when he was unable to perform.

He told jurors the woman used an "erotic voice" and made "erotic noise" during what happened, which he believed she consented to.

He added: "She was the one who started it all. She was the one inviting me."

When asked if he did anything wrong, on reflection, that night, he told the court: "It was something a bit stupid, yes, but nothing to hurt someone."

Jurors have heard the same woman was also raped that night by Luke Richardson, 21, while in the "shocking state" , which he denies.

The men are on trial alongside Omar Sharif, 23, of Brunton Terrace, Sunderland, who is accused of being a serial sex attacker and drug dealer, which he denies.

It is claimed Sharif carried out his own sex attacks on victims but also arranged for vulnerable women to be available as "entertainment" at parties, for men who were clients of his drugs business.

Sharif denies sexual assault, four drugs supply offences and six charges of rape against three alleged victims, three offences of perverting the course of justice, one of attempting an offence under the proceeds of crime act and one of perjury.

Richardson, of Ponden Hill, Sunderland, and Karaboykov, of Horatio Street, Sunderland, both deny one offence sexual assault and one of rape.

Milagros Sanchez, of Chester Road, Sunderland, who held the party where the woman was allegedly raped by the two men, denies facilitating sexual exploitation.

Prosecutors claim a text message sent between her and Karaboykov indicates someone had "arranged" for girls to be at the party, to be taken advantage of.

But Karaboykov told jurors "It was nothing like this" and that the message was just part of a friendly exchange about the party.

Sharif's brother Amer Sharif, 20, of Brunton Terrace, Sunderland, denies an offence of attempting to pervert the course of justice.